 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
STandART is a synthfolk / darkwave band formed by Kalvis Kluburs in 2002 in Jelgava, Latvia. The band has released 3 albums and a number of singles. Most songs have been recorded in at least two languages – Latvian and English. STandART have played concerts in the Baltic States, Finland, Sweden and Poland, including being the support act for such bands as Camouflage and De/Vision.
The band’s first album Australia was nominated for the Best Debut 2007 at Latvian Music Awards and won recognition of DJs and music magazines, who underlined that, although STandART’s musical direction is clear, the band manages to create a very unique sound. STandART’s lineup had undergone several lineup changes in the band’s early years; however, since 2007, when the band’s guitarist Juris Tipa moved to Mexico and was replaced by Mārtiņš Links, it remained stable for a number of years: Kalvis Kluburs, Mārtiņš Links, Vladislav Belsky and Harry Belsky.
In 2009, STandART released their 2nd studio album Autumn News. Just like the first album, it was produced in collaboration with Kaspars Tobis from the Latvian band Dzelzs Vilks. The next few years were spent playing live in Latvia and abroad and marked collaborations with such Latvian artists as Gas of Latvia and Goran Gora. Kalvis Kluburs and Mārtiņš Links were also involved in work with their other bands – Ēnu kaleidoskops and Starring Two.
In early 2013, Kalvis and Mārtiņš started recording STandART’s 3rd album as a duo with a number of friends as guest musicians. The album was produced by Kalvis Kluburs and mostly recorded with Sandris Savickis (Starring Two) and mixed with Kaspars Tobis (Dzelzs Vilks, 7 Synths). Preceeded by a string of singles since 2015, the band’s 3rd album Jūrasputnu Mistērijas: Mysteries Of The Seabirds was released via Naba Music / Melo Records in June 2017. Later that year, Jānis Traviņš (Marta Migla) joined the band. In early 2018, the band published another single – Kolka – from the album Jūrasputnu Mistērijas: Mysteries Of The Seabirds.
During the next years, Kalvis sang guest vocals in a couple of songs by Kaspars Tobis’s project 7Synths. Meanwhile, STandART underwent several lineup changes, while preparing a concert program, until it finally became a duo. In 2022, a new single Gulbji was published in honour of 20 years of STandART, followed by English versions – Swans – in 2023. In early 2024, the band gave a semi-acoustic performance at the Riga Zoo. Soon after, a STandART 22nd anniversary maxi-single 22 was released, and anniversary concerts (the first full concerts in 6 years) were announced along with lineup changes – band’s longtime manager/assistant Gatis Gavriļenko was brought in as the band’s new bass synthesizer player.
Members
• Kalvis Kluburs (2002 – present)
• Jānis Traviņš (2017 – present)
• Gatis Gavriļenko (2023 – present) (manager/assistant, 2005 – present)
Former members
• Mārtiņš Links (2008 – 2018) (live 2007)
• Vladislavs Beļskis (2003 – 2013, live 2017)
• Harijs Beļskis (2004 – 2013)
• Juris Tipa (2003 – 2005, 2006 – 2007)
• Kaspars Stāmers (2002 – 2004)
Live
• Modris Matisāns (2003, 2007)
• Edgars Liljē (2013)
• Signe Ābola (2017)
Members of STandART are or have been involved also in following bands, sideprojects and collaborations:
Kalvis Kluburs: Starring Two, Hien, Padome, Ēnu Kaleidoskops, Pasaules Gaisma, Skrīveri
Jānis Traviņš: Marta Migla
Mārtiņš Links: Ēnu Kaleidoskops, Vārna, Sniegavīru Rūpnīca, Depo, Pasaules Gaisma
Juris Tipa: Depo, Pasaules Gaisma, Los Robotes
Edgars Liljē: Marta Migla, Ēnu Kaleidoskops, Sniegavīru Rūpnīca, Depo, Pasaules Gaisma
Signe Ābola: Ēnu Kaleidoskops
